Sports

Nadal finished journey to chaotic Champions League final ‘on foot’

AFP

Rafael Nadal said on Sunday he had to complete his journey to the Stade de France to watch Real Madrid’s Champions League final against Liverpool “on foot”.

The 21-time Grand Slam champion, currently playing at the French Open, travelled across Paris to see his beloved Madrid’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool on Saturday.

The final was marred by scenes of chaos outside the stadium and the scheduled kick-off time of 9:00 pm local time (1900 GMT) was delayed by over half an hour, with Liverpool calling for an investigation into the treatment of their supporters.

Nadal was not seriously caught up in the trouble, but did have to abandon the car he was travelling in.

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“I had difficulty getting to the stadium,” he said after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in five sets at Roland Garros.

“I had to get out of the car on the motorway and finish on foot. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have made it in time as the car that was taking me didn’t arrive at the stadium car park until 10:15 pm.

“People from the organisation recognised me and helped me.”

France’s Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera expressed regret that “some supporters who had tickets were not able to access the match” and called a meeting Monday involving UEFA and the French police, who used tear gas on Liverpool fans stuck outside the stadium.

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Sports

Lamine Yamal and Raphinha lead Barça to a 4-1 aggregate victory over Benfica

Young talent Lamine Yamal and Brazilian forward Raphinha secured Barcelona’s spot in the Champions League quarterfinals with a 3-1 victory over Benfica (4-1 on aggregate) on Tuesday at the Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc.

Raphinha (11’) opened the scoring for Barça after a brilliant assist from Yamal. However, Benfica’s Nicolás Otamendi (13’) quickly leveled the match with a header from a corner kick. Yamal restored the lead (27’) with a stunning goal, and Raphinha sealed the victory (42’) just before halftime.

Determined to avoid any surprises, Barcelona started aggressively, with early attempts from Yamal and Lewandowskisignaling their intent to dominate. All goals came in the first half, securing a convincing win and a place in the next round.

Sports

Manchester United knocked out of FA Cup after penalty shootout loss to Fulham

Another disappointment for Manchester United: the defending FA Cup champions were eliminated in this edition’s round of 16, losing in a penalty shootout (4-3 after a 1-1 draw) to Fulham on Sunday at Old Trafford.

Swede Victor Lindelof and Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee were the ‘Red Devils’ who missed their shots against goalkeeper Bernd Leno, sending the ‘Cottagers’ to the penultimate round of the oldest football competition.

The elimination is a heavy blow for a United team that is currently struggling in the Premier League, where they sit in a lowly 14th place.

Now, the Europa League, where they will face Real Sociedad in the first leg of the round of 16 next week, appears to be their only chance to lift a trophy this season. Last year, the FA Cup, in which United triumphed in the final against their neighbors Manchester City, was the competition that saved their campaign. The previous season, they had reached the final, finishing as runners-up.

Sports

The prince is back: Neymar’s homecoming to Santos draws thousands of fans

Neymar was greeted by thousands of fans at his childhood club, Santos, on Friday, with a concert at the local stadium and a sign that read, “The Prince is Back.”

The Brazilian star’s private jet landed in São Paulo from Saudi Arabia in the morning, but Neymar requested a few hours of rest before being flown to Santos by helicopter.

The 32-year-old forward is expected to sign a short-term contract with Santos as he aims to regain his standing in Brazil ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

Posters saying “The Prince is Back” were being sold for 10 reais (about $1.50) around the 20,000-seat Vila Belmiro Stadium, located on the outskirts of São Paulo.